Pergolas in Irish Wind and Rain
In Ireland a pergola has to deal with rain in every month it's used and with winter gales when it isn't. From May to September Dublin gets 306 mm of rain and Mayo gets 488 mm. So choose a roof that shuts, footings sized for a roofed structure, and a material that doesn't mind staying wet.
The rain by county, the wind, and what to build it from.
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- 306 mmMay to September, Dublin
- 488 mmMay to September, Mayo
- South-westwhere the weather comes from
Rain in the pergola months, driest and wettest counties
Rain from May to September at each county town, Met Éireann 1991 to 2020. Every county is on the county list.
Wind
An open pergola lets wind through. Put a roof on it and it becomes a sail: the wind tries to lift it and to push it sideways. Three things answer that.
- Footings: a concrete pad under every post, sized for a roofed structure.
- The rating: ask for the maker's wind rating with the roof shut, in writing.
- Sense: open the louvres or draw back a fabric roof before a named storm.
What lasts
| Material | In rain | On the coast |
|---|---|---|
| Aluminium, powder coated | Doesn't rot or rust | Wash salt off twice a year |
| Galvanised steel, coated | Fine while the coating is whole | Rusts first at cut edges and fixings |
| Treated softwood | Lasts with posts off the ground and a finish kept up | Use stainless fixings |
| Larch, oak | Weathers to silver | Use stainless fixings |
On the Atlantic side
The west gets the most rain and the strongest wind. Mayo, Sligo, Galway are the wettest counties through the pergola season. There, a louvred aluminium roof with a screen on the south-west side is the one that gets used.
Every guide, calculator and county page
Jump straight to any specification guide, our interactive calculator, the technical glossary or your county page.
Price & Specification Guides
Calculator, FAQ & Glossary
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Wooden pergolasKits from €428. What timber, and how long it lasts.
Aluminium pergolasKits €1,886 to €2,998. Fitted from €2,500.
Pergola kitsWhat's in the box, and what isn't.
Pergola ideasTwelve that suit an Irish back garden.
Pergola pricesFrom a €428 timber kit to a €7,420 motorised roof.Pergolas in every county
- Carlow330 mm of rain, May to September
- Cavan402 mm of rain, May to September
- Clare450 mm of rain, May to September
- Cork384 mm of rain, May to September
- Donegal445 mm of rain, May to September
- Dublin306 mm of rain, May to September
- Galway475 mm of rain, May to September
- Kerry445 mm of rain, May to September
- Kildare345 mm of rain, May to September
- Kilkenny333 mm of rain, May to September
- Laois360 mm of rain, May to September
- Leitrim414 mm of rain, May to September
- Limerick387 mm of rain, May to September
- Longford389 mm of rain, May to September
- Louth333 mm of rain, May to September
- Mayo488 mm of rain, May to September
- Meath347 mm of rain, May to September
- Monaghan374 mm of rain, May to September
- Offaly354 mm of rain, May to September
- Roscommon401 mm of rain, May to September
- Sligo481 mm of rain, May to September
- Tipperary372 mm of rain, May to September
- Waterford374 mm of rain, May to September
- Westmeath357 mm of rain, May to September
- Wexford365 mm of rain, May to September
- Wicklow319 mm of rain, May to September
Pick your pergola
Four taps: the type, where it's going, the size and the help you want. You see our price guide for it. Your number is only asked for at the end, if you want one pergola company that covers your county to ring you.
Questions people ask
Can a pergola stay up all winter?
Yes. It's a permanent structure. Shut louvres are fine within the wind rating; a fabric roof should be drawn back.
Will a louvred roof leak?
Fully shut and level, no. In driving rain a little can blow in at the sides.
Does snow matter?
Rarely here. Open the louvres in heavy snow so it doesn't sit.
Get a price for a pergola in your garden
One pergola company that covers your county. Free, no obligation. Nothing is ordered until you accept a written price.